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2023 Year-In Review
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First, HAPPY NEW YEAR. I wish y’all 12 great things in 2024… 1) happiness; 2) joy; 3) peace; 4) prosperity; 5) love; 6) luck; 7) good fortune; 8) good health; 9) cheer; 10) lots of great reads—new and old; 11) an ever-changing TBR; and, most importantly, 12) lots of time to read!!
Second…in 2022, Nell & Jaxnsmom wrote: "Year-End Wrap Up 2022..." , now changed to 2023…
Overall, I read just over 16% fewer pages in 2023 than I did in 2022. I also read fewer books (just over 9% fewer) last year. I can’t really blame “life” since I don’t really have one. For the most part, I have all the time in the world to read, I just didn’t do it when I had the chance and I don’t really know why. There were a couple of months when I was working a contract which took up a lot of my time, but it’s the same one I work every year, so I can’t really blame that. And, my reading time always gets cut at during the holiday season, so I can’t really blame that either. I was just lazy when it came to reading. While I love mysteries, most of my reading was romance (tame to hot hot hot).
Although I got stuck (??) in a romance jag I was able to complete the cozy reading challenge I enter every year. For the second year in a row, I hit both goal versions reading 52 cozy-related items (also fewer cozy reads than last year, by just over 21%). :o(
Also… I went on a REREAD binge. I found several older mystery series I read and liked in e-format on an online library site. I spent valuable cull-the-TBR time rereading those older series, which led to several other older series. I just got hooked on them again. I did the same with romance, too. I reread several favorite books or series of books. I’m going to try (TRY being operative word) to avoid a lot of that this year. :o)
The Case of the Canterfell Codicil (Anty Boisjoly Mysteries, #1) by P.J. Fitzsimmons
My first cozy of the year was P.J. Fitzsimmons' The Case of the Canterfell Codicil, an historical cozy set in England. It was also the first book I reviewed in 2023 (** My Review **)
P.J. Fitzsimmons was the only new-to-me cozy author I read in 2023. He introduced me to his character Anthony ("Anty" to chums) Boisjoly (Anty Boisjoly series). The “historical” cozy was fun, funny, and so well written. The mystery was involving, too. I loved it. I’ll be reading more.
My second read of the year, Of Manners and Murder (Dear Miss Hermione series; ** My Review **), was also an “historical” by new-to-me pseudonym Anastasia Hastings of favorite author Constance Laux, who now has cozies in various sub-genres written under six different pseudonyms. (I’ve enjoyed all I’ve read.) Both this and Fitzsimmons' book were set outside the US, but I wound up using both toward the “historical” category goal for the challenge.
The last two cozies I read in 2023 were: Fatal Fascinator (Hat Shop Mystery, #7) by Jenn McKinlay and Hanks and a Hitman (A Knitty Kitty Mystery, #3) by Tracey Drew
I hit my minimum target goal of 40 cozies read in July, but didn’t stop reading them, of course. Near the end of the year, I was so close to hitting the secondary option goal—turns out I only needed two historical or two out-of-US-set mysteries (or one of each) to hit the option “B” goal. I just happened to have (at least!) two out-of-US on my TBR. Yea me! So… my cozy year ended on 12/29/23 with Hanks and a Hitman from Tracey Drew’s series Knitty Kitty. Previous to that I read Jenn McKinlay’s Fatal Fascinator from her Hat Shop series. Both out-of-US set books gave me what I needed to reach the (for me!) more difficult “B” option for the second year in a row—and just in the nick of time, too.
In between, I ran the gamut from crafting to travel to paranormals to food-centered, etc. The challenge I enter has nine sub-genres in the “B” option. I caught up with a couple old friends by reading the latest entries to series and, of course, by rereading those older series (love Selma Eichler’s Desiree Shapiro!!). Sadly, I only read 13 new-to-me cozies this year—and another reason I will try to avoid the reread rabbit hole this year. I have too many series to catch up and a gigantic TBR littered with new reads!
The Twelve Books of Christmas (Bibliophile Mystery, #17) by Kate Carlisle and Bulletproof Barista (Coffeehouse Mystery, #20) by Cleo Coyle
My highest rated new-to-me cozies were Kate Carlisle’s The Twelve Books of Christmas (Bibliophile series) and Cleo Coyle’s Bulletproof Barista (Coffeehouse series).
I wasn’t really disappointed with any of the cozies I read, though I did complain about Addison Moore’s Pineapple Upside-Down Dilemma (Murder in the Mix/Lottie Lemon series). Entries to the series are up and down with me. This one annoyed me because of the over-the-top, exaggerated secondary stories. I like the series, but sometimes the craziness of the secondary characters and their stories and/or their bullying of heroine Lottie Lemon really grate on me, making the books less enjoyable. Plus, even though the mystery was solved, there was a cliffhanger ending. While lots of authors are doing personal (cozy) story cliffhangers (two characters kiss; is she or isn’t she; etc.), this was a criminal cliffhanger—that is, the book ended with a crime. I hate that.
However… I read the next in series, Star-Spangled Ice Scream Cake, right after it and it was back to the series I enjoy. The secondary stories were still over the top, but not so bad as to grate on me and “bio-mom” Carlotta, who is the craziest (and the one character I just don’t like very much) wasn’t as horrible in this one. Even the cozy cliffhanger at the end didn’t annoy me. Still, I love Lottie and hubby Everett, and even “third” Noah enough to keep me reading the series.
Overall, there wasn’t a bad cozy in the mix.
That’s pretty much my cozy 2023… So many good reads. So much fun. Looking forward to 2024’s reading.
How about y'all
Happy New Year! I didn't get to read as many books as I would have liked. I did spend a lot of time reading banned and challenged picture books but by bedtime, I was tired and had to be up early the next day. How dare work interfere with reading time? :-D
I completed a few challenges. That was fun! I started and finished new to me series
Farm Fresh Murder series
Elementary, She Read (Ongoing series)
ETA: Forgot to mention the funniest cozy that has stuck with me
Feel the Bern. The setting was fun and sleuthing with Bernie even more fun. You don't have to be a Bernie Sanders fan to read this one, although that was the initial draw for me. Of course we had a warm spring so I had to order some barrel aged Vermont maple syrup online. I plan to order some first batch syrup this year, in honor of Bernie.
My new favorite series is Bought the Farm Mysteries Books 1-10
I revisited many familiar friends. I was especially excited to catch up with the Fairy Tale bakery crew in Sugar Plum Poisoned
and Lady Eleanor Swift, Emma Cross (Gilded Age Newport), Countess of Harleigh, Beatrice Hyde-Clare, Anty Boisjoly
C. Who was/were your favorite character(s)? Tell us why.
The Fairy Tale crew. I relate a lot to Mel but Marty cracks me up. I'm not usually a fan of the feisty senior but I love Marty.
Jane Austen Jane and the Final Mystery. I loved this Jane and want to hang out with her and solve mysteries for a lot longer.
D. Post a picture of your favorite cover.
My reading goals for 2024 include trying some new cozy series and catching up with old friends. Trying to break up with some old "friends" who are acting stupid (Ally McMurphy) or have lifestyle changes I feel bored by (Her Royal Spyness). I'll continue the Aunt Dimity series with my real life book club.
Thanks, Nell, for starting the topic for the year. Though Nell posted my response above (I posted in a different discussion area), I'm copying it over so the links, etc. appear and adding updates to answer Nell's 2023 Year-In Review questions.
HAPPY NEW YEAR. I wish y’all 12 great things in 2024… 1) happiness; 2) joy; 3) peace; 4) prosperity; 5) love; 6) luck; 7) good fortune; 8) good health; 9) cheer; 10) lots of great reads—new and old; 11) an ever-changing TBR; and, most importantly, 12) lots of time to read!!
On to the update...
đź“š Overview: Did you have a chance to read as much as you liked? Or did life demand more of your attention and hoped-for reading time? Maybe your reading year was "just right."
Overall, I read just over 16% fewer pages in 2023 than I did in 2022. I also read fewer books (just over 9% fewer) last year. I can’t really blame “life” since I don’t really have one. For the most part, I have all the time in the world to read, I just didn’t do it when I had the chance and I don’t really know why. There were a couple of months when I was working a contract which took up a lot of my time, but it’s the same one I work every year, so I can’t really blame that. And, my reading time always gets cut at during the holiday season, so I can’t really blame that either. I was just lazy when it came to reading. While I love mysteries, most of my reading was romance (tame to hot hot hot).
đź“š Taking a Closer Look:
đź“šChallenges: Did you complete any challenges in 2023? Either the themed or monthly serial reader challenges.
Although I got stuck (??) in a romance jag I was able to complete the cozy reading challenge I enter every year. For the second year in a row, I hit both goal versions reading 52 cozy-related items (also fewer cozy reads than last year, by just over 21%). :o(
A. Did you discover a new favorite series?
I did find a new series. The first book,The Case of the Canterfell Codicil, was so fun and funny, if the next couple are the same, the Anty Boisjoly series could become a new favorite.
The author grabbed me with his bio when noting, "I dream of an alternative reality in which PG Wodehouse wrote locked room mysteries, and in which I’m PG Wodehouse." I love the humor of Wodehouse and had to try the book. I loved it.
B. Did you enjoy a visit(s) with familiar friends? (on-going series)
I visited old friends Deseree Shapiro, Peaches Dann, and Bernie Rhodenbarr. I had a 21-day affair with Desiree Shapiro years ago when I first picked up the series. I read all 15 books one after another. While liking some more than others, I really enjoyed visiting with Desiree.
I spent a lot of time with old favorites by going on a REREAD binge. I found several older mystery series I read and liked in e-format at an online library site. I spent valuable cull-the-TBR time rereading those older series, which led to several other older series. I just got hooked on them again. I did the same with romance, too. I reread several favorite books or series of books. I’m going to try (TRY being operative word) to avoid a lot of that this year. :o) Sadly, the cozy series I reread are not currently ongoing.
My first cozy of the year was P.J. Fitzsimmons' The Case of the Canterfell Codicil, an historical cozy set in England. It was also the first book I reviewed in 2023 (** My Review **)
P.J. Fitzsimmons was the only new-to-me cozy author I read in 2023. He introduced me to his character Anthony ("Anty" to chums) Boisjoly (Anty Boisjoly series). The “historical” cozy was fun, funny, and so well written. The mystery was involving, too. I loved it. I’ll be reading more.
My second read of the year, Of Manners and Murder (Dear Miss Hermione series; ** My Review **), was also an “historical” by new-to-me pseudonym Anastasia Hastings of favorite author Constance Laux, who now has cozies in various sub-genres written under six different pseudonyms. (I’ve enjoyed all I’ve read.) Both this and Fitzsimmons' book were set outside the US, but I wound up using both toward the “historical” category goal for the challenge.
The last two cozies I read in 2023 were:
and
I hit my minimum target goal of 40 cozies read in July, but didn’t stop reading them, of course. Near the end of the year, I was so close to hitting the secondary option goal—turns out I only needed two historical or two out-of-US-set mysteries (or one of each) to hit the option “B” goal. I just happened to have (at least!) two out-of-US on my TBR. Yea me! So… my cozy year ended on 12/29/23 with Hanks and a Hitman from Tracey Drew’s series Knitty Kitty. Previous to that I read Jenn McKinlay’s Fatal Fascinator from her Hat Shop series. Both out-of-US set books gave me what I needed to reach the (for me!) more difficult “B” option for the second year in a row—and just in the nick of time, too.
In between, I ran the gamut from crafting to travel to paranormals to food-centered, etc. The challenge I enter has nine sub-genres in the “B” option. I caught up with a couple old friends by reading the latest entries to series and, of course, by rereading those older series (love Selma Eichler’s Desiree Shapiro!!). Sadly, I only read 13 new-to-me cozies this year—and another reason I will try to avoid the reread rabbit hole this year. I have too many series to catch up and a gigantic TBR littered with new reads!
and
My highest rated new-to-me cozies were Kate Carlisle’s The Twelve Books of Christmas (Bibliophile series) and Cleo Coyle’s Bulletproof Barista (Coffeehouse series).
I wasn’t really disappointed with any of the cozies I read, though I did complain about Addison Moore’s Pineapple Upside-Down Dilemma (Murder in the Mix/Lottie Lemon series). Entries to the series are up and down with me. This one annoyed me because of the over-the-top, exaggerated secondary stories. I like the series, but sometimes the craziness of the secondary characters and their stories and/or their bullying of heroine Lottie Lemon really grate on me, making the books less enjoyable. Plus, even though the mystery was solved, there was a cliffhanger ending. While lots of authors are doing personal (cozy) story cliffhangers (two characters kiss; is she or isn’t she; etc.), this was a criminal cliffhanger—that is, the book ended with a crime. I hate that.
However… I read the next in series, Star-Spangled Ice Scream Cake, right after it and it was back to the series I enjoy. The secondary stories were still over the top, but not so bad as to grate on me and “bio-mom” Carlotta, who is the craziest (and the one character I just don’t like very much) wasn’t as horrible in this one. Even the cozy cliffhanger at the end didn’t annoy me. Still, I love Lottie and hubby Everett, and even “third” Noah enough to keep me reading the series.
Overall, there wasn’t a bad cozy in the mix.
C. Who was/were your favorite character(s)? Tell us why.
I've always loved Bernie and I was happy to reconnect with Desiree, who is still a hoot! I would say, however, a **new** favorite character isn't even the star of the series. Anty Boisjoly is between valets. He comes across his father's old (and I mean OLD!) valet, Vickers, during the course of his investigation. Vickers leaves with Anty. Vickers reminds me of an old Disney character, And, I love Anty's snarky wit!
As for others, I like most of the leads in the series I read -- albeit some more than others.
D. Post a picture of your favorite cover.
Funny... now that I read mostly e-versions, I don't spend a lot of time with covers. When I frequented bookstores and physical libraries, covers were one of the things that drew me to the shelf. Now I only get to see them in small pictures and titles grab me more. Looking back at my 2023 Cozy Challenge in covers, I'd have to go with The Twelve Books of Christmas. As for why... because it reminds me of a Christmas card.That’s pretty much my cozy 2023… So many good reads. So much fun. Looking forward to 2024’s reading.
LOOKING FORWARD: What are your reading goals for 2024?
Number of books to read? Complete a series? Discover new authors? Participate in challenges?
I'd like to read more pages and items this year over last. I'm going to try sticking with new-to-me reads (though, i've already done a couple of rereads...).
I don't know if one can ever "complete" a series. Just as I catch up, new additions come out. My goal is to try and stay up to date with my favorites. That, however, gets tough when I discover new-to-me authors/series. Just keep building the TBR and hope I don't get buried beneath it. :o)
As for challenges... I always list my initial goal for GoodReads annual reading challenge at 60 figuring I can read just over one book a week -- partially because I don't list all my reads and partially because I don't know what will come up to limit my reading. I adjust up as I go along.
As for other challenges, there is only one I enter each year. It's the Cruisin' thru the Cozies Reading Challenge. You can read A) a straight X number of books; or B) books that fit specific genres. I go for "A" because I like reading what I like when I like. I note "B" genres and check to see if I hit that goal, too. -- I've been lucky the past two years, but usually fall short a couple genres. I don't know if I have the discipline to do other challenges. I look at different cozy monthly challenges and have joined one or two over the years, but mostly just stick with the two.
How about y'all?
Best Wishes for a Happy New Reading Year! 🥂🎊🥳
Thanks, Nell! Right back atcha!
Will there be a 2024 year-end wrap-up discussion started?
Cozy Mystery Corner
Books mentioned in this topic
Fatal Fascinator (other topics)The Twelve Books of Christmas (other topics)
Hanks and a Hitman (other topics)
Of Manners and Murder (other topics)
The Case of the Canterfell Codicil (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
P.J. Fitzsimmons (other topics)Anastasia Hastings (other topics)
Constance Laux (other topics)
Tracey Drew (other topics)
Jenn McKinlay (other topics)
More...
LOOKING BACK: How was your reading year?
Answer as many or as few as you'd like.
đź“š Overview: Did you have a chance to read as much as you liked? Or did life demand more of your attention and hoped-for reading time? Maybe your reading year was "just right." Here's the place to share.
đź“šChallenges: Did you complete any challenges in 2023? Either the themed or monthly serial reader challenges.
đź“šTaking a Closer Look:
A. Did you discover a new favorite series?
B. Did you enjoy a visit(s) with familiar friends? (on-going series)
C. Who was/were your favorite character(s)? Tell us why.
D. Post a picture of your favorite cover.
LOOKING FORWARD: What are your reading goals for 2024?
Number of books to read? Complete a series? Discover new authors? Participate in challenges?
[You may include both cozies and other genres.]
Best Wishes for a Happy New Reading Year! 🥂🎊🥳
Nell